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Monthly Archives: December 2014

It’s no-frills in the best possible way, stark and utterly free of gimmickry. The controls themselves are crisp and taut: no slipping, no mushiness. Shovel Knight is mechanically gratifying, a complete pleasure to play. Now, I’m sure Shovel Knight is every bit as aesthetically charming on larger screensit’ll be available on the PlayStation 4 soon enough, and in the meantime you can play it on any size screen you likebut its intricate little sprites only benefit from being further squished by the 3DS’ display. The foreground and background move at different speeds, too (that’s called parallax scrolling!), and its effect is all the more appealing in three-dee. Also, fuck this game. It’s really hard. Source: Jenn Frank’s Top 10 Games of 2014 – Yahoo News

. Hillary Clinton gave vacationing political reporters checking their emails a brief panic attack Tuesday , sending an email blast through the Clinton Foundation with the subject line, “Announcement.” Luckily for them, the “announcement” had nothing to do with her plans for 2016 it was donation-matching offer for the foundation’s benefactors. “In my family, we’re celebrating our first holidays with a beautiful new granddaughter,” Clinton wrote. “We’re also celebrating the generosity and commitment of our incredible Clinton Foundation family and that means you.” Not a good feeling: being on vacation and seeing this in the inbox. (It’s a Foundation $ plea.) pic.twitter.com/yvAVlHJVN7 Gabriel Debenedetti (@gdebenedetti) December 30, 2014 “As we look ahead to an exciting new year, there’s so much more to do together solving problems and seizing opportunities faster, better, and at lower cost,” the former secretary of state continued. “But we can’t do it without you. That’s why Bill, Chelsea, and I will triple every $1 donated to the Clinton Foundation before the end of the year, up to an additional $100,000.” Hillary Clinton emails her foundation list with “Announcement” subject line tease… Promoting 2-to-1 donation match pic.twitter.com/MF62w3IGAB Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) December 30, 2014 Clinton has said repeatedly she is undecided about running, despite the air of inevitability real or imagined surrounding her potential candidacy. Source: Hillary Clinton’s ‘Announcement’ email blast jolts reporters – Yahoo News

Its a kind of a message that we can also kill your children, said Pakistani analyst Zahid Hussain. In a statement to reporters, Taliban spokesman Mohammed Khurasani claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was retribution for the militarys operation in nearby North Waziristan, the northwestern tribal region where the groups fighters largely have been based. We targeted their kids so that they could know how it feels when they hit our kids, Khurasani said. He said the attackers were advised not to target underage children but did not elaborate on what that meant. In its offensive, the military said it would go after all militant groups operating in the region. Security officials and civilians feared retribution by militants, but Pakistan has been relatively calm. More: MyRecordJournal.com | Meriden, CT |

Analysts said the militants likely targeted the school because of its military connections. “It’s a kind of a message that ‘we can also kill your children,'” said Pakistani analyst Zahid Hussain. In a statement to reporters, Taliban spokesman Mohammed Khurasani claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was retribution for the military’s operation in nearby North Waziristan, the northwestern tribal region where the group’s fighters largely have been based. “We targeted their kids so that they could know how it feels when they hit our kids,” Khurasani said. He said the attackers were advised not to target “underage” children but did not elaborate on what that meant. In its offensive, the military said it would go after all militant groups operating in the region. Security officials and civilians feared retribution by militants, but Pakistan has been relatively calm. Source: Taliban assault on Pakistan school leaves 141 dead – Quincy Herald-Whig | Illinois & Missouri News, Sports

That [advice] helped me so much, it was incredible. The best way is to face it. Say Come on! Im not afraid of you! Because you know youre not going to die. India, OMG Ill be seeing you later this week! Last tickets here : https://t.co/0tAh418LQF pic.twitter.com/19vB6dY1bl David Guetta (@davidguetta) December 17, 2014 Back in November, Guetta discussed with Billboard the stresses of taking on a new album. Its super challenging to reinvent myself every time its a lot of pressure. More: David Guetta’s Panic Attacks Stalled His Career

Pakistan massacre survivors vow to defy Taliban – Yahoo News

His body disappears.” The effects of flow are similar to those of meditation, says occupational therapist Victoria Schindler. Science has shown meditation can , among other things, reduce stress and fight inflammation. Our bodies are in a constant state of stress because our brain can’t tell the difference between an upcoming meeting with the boss and an upcoming bear attack, Schindler says. The repetitive motions of knitting, for example, activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which quiets that “fight or flight” response. In a 2007 paper ” The neurological basis of occupation ,” Schindler and co-author Sharon Gutman argue that patients could learn to use activities such as drawing or painting to elicit flow, which would offer a nonpharmaceutical way to regulate strong emotions such as anger or prevent irrational thoughts. “Flow could potentially help patients to dampen internal chaos,” they write. A natural anti-depressant The reward center in your brain releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine when you do something pleasurable. More: This is your brain on crafting – CNN.com

“I want to be an army officer because I have to take revenge of my friends and school fellows,” he said. Eighteen-year-old Abu Bakar agreed. “Since my childhood I have wanted to join the army but now I am absolutely determined to join up,” he said. A Pakistani woman holds a placard for the victims of an attack by Taliban gunmen on children in Pesh “I want to take revenge for my friends, I want to fight the terrorists.” – Bomb fears – More than 400 schools in Islamabad were warned of a possible plot to bomb buses carrying students in the capital, Mohammad Tahir Bhatti, spokesman for the Federal Directorate of Education told AFP. “We received information from various sources that terrorists were planning to attack buses by attaching magnetic bombs and have alerted the managements of institutions accordingly,” Bhatti said. Officials of the directorate were also holding meetings to review security arrangements and schools and colleges and also visiting schools and colleges to monitor them, Bhatti said. View gallery A Pakistani mother comforts her injured son a day after Taliban gunmen attacked a school in Peshawar One 11-year-old primary school student said teachers had drilled them in emergency exits and routes to safe locations in case of any danger. Source: Pakistan massacre survivors vow to defy Taliban – Yahoo News

It’s every parent’s nightmare, anywhere. The number of dead and wounded has grown well past 100 the exact number is still not known precisely. But we already know this was one of the deadliest attacks ever carried out by the Pakistani Taliban, who’s claiming responsibility for the assault. Many parents in Peshawar are still wondering if their children are okay. But there’s one good story if you can call it that. The story of a girl who was at theschool at the time of the attack, and survived. The story comes fromShireen Khalid Wadud,a friend of the girl’s family. The BBC believes the story to be accurate. More: A Pakistani girl survives a Taliban attack on her school by playing dead | KERA News

141 _ Mostly Children _ Killed in Pakistan Attack – ABC News

When they reached an auditorium where students had gathered for an event, they opened fire. A 14-year-old, Mehran Khan, said about 400 students were in the hall when the gunmen broke through the doors and started shooting. They shot one of the teachers in the head and then set her on fire and shouted “God is great!” as she screamed, added Khan, who survived by playing dead. From there, they went to classrooms and other parts of the school. “Their sole purpose, it seems, was to kill those innocent kids. That’s what they did,” Bajwa said. Of the 141 people slain before government troops ended the assault eight hours later, 132 were children and nine were staff members. Another 121 students and three staff members were wounded. More: 141 _ Mostly Children _ Killed in Pakistan Attack – ABC News

Pakistani officials say siege at school over – Yahoo News

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif pledged to step up the campaign that along with U.S. drone strikes has targeted the militants. “The fight will continue. No one should have any doubt about it,” Sharif said. “We will take account of each and every drop of our children’s blood.” Taliban fighters have struggled to maintain their potency in the face of the military operation. They vowed a wave of violence in response to the operation, but until Tuesday, there has only been one major attack by a splinter group near the Pakistan-India border in November. Analysts said the school siege showed that even diminished, the militant group still could inflict horrific carnage. Taliban Attack On Pakistan School Leaves 141 Dead Play video The rampage at the Army Public School and College began in the morning when seven militants scaled a back wall using a ladder, said Maj. Source: Pakistani officials say siege at school over – Yahoo News

The employee told officers that a lone man had approached the employee with his hand in his pocket, demanding money and threatening to shoot. Officers say the man fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money and beer. More from NBC Montana Surfers brave icy waves for fundraiser Officers say no injuries were reported as a result of the incident. Officers provided NBC Montana with this description of the suspect: The male was reported to be a white male with gray curly collar-length hair. He was approximately 59 to 6 tall and was wearing a tan vest with white fleece lining [and] a light blue jersey shirt bearing the number 25 or 29 in gold, and green jeans. The male was last seen leaving on foot westbound on Broadway. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Detective Division of the Missoula Police Department at 406-552-6300 or Crimestoppers at 406-721-4444. Copyright 2014 by KECI , KCFW , KTVM . For the original version, visit http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/missoula-police-seek-armed-robbery-suspect/30229226

Manuel Joyner-Bell, 20, has been held without bail since his arrest in May following a spate of bottle bomb incidents that frightened hundreds of movie patrons in Maryland and neighboring Virginia that month and in April. He pleaded guilty on Friday to charges of possession of a destructive device, second degree assault, reckless endangerment and conspiracy to use a destructive device, Angela Alsobrooks, the state’s attorney in Prince George’s County, Maryland, said in a statement. “Mr. Bell committed these acts in six different movie theaters across our region in an attempt to cause widespread fear and panic because he enjoyed seeing the terror people showed as they fled the theaters,” Alsobrooks said. Bell was charged in connection with one bottle bomb attack at an AMC Magic Johnson Capital Center 12 theater in Largo, Maryland, but he admitted to all six bottle bombings at movie theaters in Maryland and neighboring Virginia, prosecutors said. The Bowie, Maryland, man is held without bail at the Prince George’s County correctional facility. He will be sentenced on March 5 and faces up to 21 years in prison. Bell will then face extradition to Virginia to face charges for similar incidents, according to Alsobrooks’ office. More: Maryland man admits to six ‘bottle bomb’ stunts at movie theaters – Yahoo News

31 photo released by the Norwegian Air Force in November. Countries around the Baltic Sea have called Russia’s recent presence in the area “unprecedented.” Reuters Poland’s defense minister,Tomasz Siemoniak, called out Russia for its “unprecedented” naval and air force presence in the Baltic Sea area this week. Siemoniak told reporters that although Russia was not preparing to attack, its military tests in the international airspace did “not serve to build good relationships and trust,” BBC News reported . Russia said it was only testing the NATO defenses that police the region, but tensions were high. NATO has previously alleged that Russia is giving its rebels in Ukraine weapons, andNATO previously reported it had seen a Cold War-level of intercepts since the start of the conflict in February. NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu told Agence France-Presse that NATO’s recent interception of six Russian bomber planes “represented a significant level of activity.” Among the planes were four Tu-95 Bear strategic bombers, two Tu-22M Backfire long-range bombers, two Su-27s, Tu-134s and an An-72 transporter. Russia occasionally does not provide flight plans for its warplanes, which could impact commercial airline activity.Such activity can be destabilizing and potentially dangerous, if international norms are not respected, Lungescu said. Most of the Russian activity was in international waters and airspace, Siemoniak said.Sweden was most affected by Russia’s increased military presence, BBC reported, but the Finnish air force also called the activity “unusually intense.”Earlier this week, when Estonia claimed one of Russia’s planes violated its airspace, the Russian defense ministry said it was just a routine flight. Source: Poland Calls Out Russia For ‘Unprecedented’ Bomber Activity Above Baltic Sea

Originally opened in 1970, the cultural centre was forced to close between 1983 and 2002 as Afghanistan was torn apart by a series of wars. It reopened in 2003 and was revamped in 2010. Afghan security personnel stand guard near the site where a bomber blew himself up in the audience w – ‘Heinous’ attack – French President Francois Hollande condemned the bombing as “heinous” and said it was an assault on “culture and creativity.” In the earlier attack, the bomber who was on foot targeted a bus carrying Afghan troops in Tangi Tarakhil on the outskirts of the capital, Afzail told AFP. “As a result of the (first) attack, six Afghan army staff were martyred and 10 others were wounded,” the general said. A statement from the defence ministry confirmed the death toll, but said 11 people were wounded. A recent spate of attacks in Kabul has seen militants target foreign guest houses, embassy vehicles, US troops and Afghan army buses over the past month. For the original version, visit http://news.yahoo.com/un-voices-serious-concern-taliban-attacks-hit-kabul-050933240.html

On Tuesday, WFP said the voucher program was on again, thanks an unusual campaign it launched on social media to raise $1 contributions from 64 million people around the world. The WFP said it solicited $1.8 million in donations from almost 14,000 people and from private sector donors in 158 countries, as part of a campaign using the hashtag #ADollarALifeline. Other U.N. agencies, such as UNICEF and the U.N.’s humanitarian office, also promoted the campaign through social media. The biggest online contributors through the agency’s address http://www.wfp.org/ForSyrianRefugees were Americans, then Canadians, then Syrians themselves. Aloe Blacc’s song “I Need A Dollar” was the online campaign’s featured soundtrack for the #ADollarALifeline video launched on social media channels. More: UN resumes food aid for Syrian refugees – Yahoo News

The studio did have insurance, which will help pay for some of the cleanup, according to an individual close to Sony , but the forensic investigation into who is behind the attack could take six months or longer to complete, experts say. “You basically have to perform a crime scene investigation on every single device at the studio,” explains Joe Loomis , CEO of online security firm CyberSponse. Loomis adds that not only will Sony have to rebuild and strengthen its security system — something that could take months — it also will need to educate its employees to be more attuned to phishing and other threats. “One employee making one mistake can take down an entire company,” he cautions. Joseph Menn , an investigative reporter for the Financial Times and author of the book “Fatal System Error: The Hunt for the New Crime Lords Who Are Bringing Down the Internet,” tells Variety that Sony should have gone to greater lengths to encrypt its most sensitive information. That said, Sony’s not alone. Every other studio has begun to assess its own digital networks and to tap outside consultants, sources tell Variety. Source: Sony under siege: Cyber crisis leaves Hollywood reeling | Boston Herald

Angelina didnt leave till she made sure I was ok. Usually I have no problem with getting celebrities but it was too overwhelming for me since I have tone down in the last two months. Im not going to lie about my medical condition since this is something that rarely happens to me and I hope it doesnt happen again. But overall Thank You #AngelinaJolie I will remember this. #celebrity #nyc #actress #TombRaider #LaraCroft A photo posted by Fifty Shades of Techna (@technadeschanel) on Dec 12, 2014 at 9:32pm PST “Just to put it out there, I went there to the Daily Show with my Friend to get Angelina Jolie,” she wrote. “We was practically in the back then went on the side in hope of getting her. Source: Angelina Jolie Comforts a Fan Who Had Panic Attack: Photos – Us Weekly